1959 Map of Barter Island

About this map

Kaktovik and the coastal landscape of Barter Island dominate this mid-century survey of Alaska's northernmost reaches. The mapping reflects a transition period for the region, where established settlements like the village at Kaktovik are documented alongside a nearby Kaktovik (Site) and various Ruins, suggesting shifts in local habitation patterns. To the east, the shoreline is a complex network of lagoons and spits, including Jago Lagoon and Oruktalik Lagoon, fed by the glacial waters of the Jago River and Okpilak R. Interior features are sparse, characterized by tractor paths and isolated Cabins that hint at the seasonal transit and subsistence living of the era. Surveyors utilized numerous triangulation stations, such as VABM Barter and VABM Astro Az, to plot this remote stretch of the Beaufort Sea coast.